A Bugged System
by lightwolfheart
Summary: The system had been declared, the design set into action, and the intent made clear. The outcome desired was known, and well known at that. But here she was, a blip in space, a bug in the system, and undesired error. So what would she do now, with the knowledge that she was unwanted and unneeded by the universe around her.
1. A Glitch Appears

Shiko Aburame was an unusual one for an Aburame. Silent in the womb, she sent both her mother and father into multiple trips to the hospital in order to be reassured of their daughter's continual existence. Keiko fretted about the lack of response for days on end, bending to her husband's 'wool wrapping' tendencies and minding her cravings with a watchful eye. Aburame's tended to be quiet, reserved and withdrawn, yes, but not until after they'd left the womb.

This was the first sign of abnormality.

The second sign -a stark contrast to the first- was the unholy wail that ripped itself from the newborns throat. But it wasn't the volume, so much as the length which frightened Keiko- 48 hours. Nonstop screaming for 48 hours until the child finally -finally- exhausted itself to sleep. Their first child had done nothing of the sort; he had cried a bit after birth, sure, but after 20 minutes he was quiet- and was still quiet up to this day, in fact.

But this child, battered and bruised for reasons none of the medics could explain, screeched and screamed itself hoarse, crying out for reasons unknown. It wept, it weeped, it wailed and they waited, waited until it had finished throwing it's fit. Keiko was only thankful they could heal her vocal chords afterwards, that they were still undeveloped enough that fixtures could be made.

The third sign, though.

The third sign; bruises littered the child's body, despite the lack of movement from within the womb. Purple and black, blood welling under the skin. They were everywhere, from head to toe, but the worst one- the worst one was directly over her heart. The size of an adult's foot, it covered her entire chest, a plethora of blues, greens, purples scattered over the deadly, dark black centre.

That one never went away.

Healing them was difficult, medics working over six hours over the infants body, but even after hours of work, they could not remove the discoloured patch over the girls heart. They couldn't spend more time trying, as they risked overloading the child's system- as it was they'd already stretched it too the limits. The bruised heart would remain, and Shibi and Keiko were only slightly mollified by the news that it didn't actually effect her heart, it was only skin deep. Keiko was devastated- her child hadn't even seen the training field, and she was already scarred for life. It just- it wasn't right.

After all that, however, they were free to take their baby home.

Shino, their year old son, peered curiously at Shiko when she arrived home in his father's arms. Kneeling down, Keiko accepted her daughter from her husband, and invited him closer.

"Look, Shino, this is your new baby sister." He stared curiously at her, slowly reaching out a hand to stroke the infant's face. Gently he touched the black patch around her eye, and peered up at his mother.

"Why does she look like that?"

"Because," Keiko's voice cracked, her smile wobbled, and Shino watched her closely, cataloging the behaviour for later, for comparison. "Because she's special- she'll need lots of care and love. We need to take care of her."

Eyebrows furrowed, but the boy nodded, and stroked the infant again. Keiko smiled again, this one remaining strong on her face, and Shibi nodded from above her.

It was going to be okay.

* * *

This was no okay.

Shino watched, amused, as his new sister doggedly avoided the food being spooned at her. Nothing would get her to eat it, he didn't think, and his mother's attempts would be as fruitful as the ones this morning. Actually, his sister hadn't eaten since mother decided to put her on solid food- maybe she didn't think she needed food?

That was a silly thought, he decided, everyone needed food.

Regardless, his sister had decided she didn't need food, and that wasn't okay. Coming to a conclusion, he hopped out of his chair, and waddled over to where his mother and sister sat. Taking the spoon from his mother's hand, he held it out in front of Shiko and gave her a look.

"Everyone need food, Shiko." The brown eyes met, and the two had a staring contest before she, slowly, opened her mouth. Shino's lips quirked up, and he put the spoon in her mouth.

An hour later Shiko and Shino were being dragged to the hospital by their frantic mother (Shibi was away on a mission) after Shiko's stomach had bloated to twice it's usual size after throwing up her lunch. After an hour of investigation (and another half hour of them attempting to heal her remaining bruise again), the medic's told them that it was an allergic reaction and while it wouldn't kill her this time, if she continued to eat it it was predicted she would die before she reached the age of ten.

Keiko looked horrified, and Shino held his sister a little tighter at the news. The medics carried on, explaining identifying tests and possible diet supplementation paths -all of which had been discovered by Akimichi's who'd had various allergies over the years- but Shino wasn't listening, too busy staring down at the doll brown eyes in his arms, watering from the pain stewing in their stomach. Quiet and recluse, the loyalty of the Aburame was never a mystery within the village. This was his baby sister, and nothing was going to take her away from him. Nothing and no one. Gently he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Nothing.

They were still at the hospital when Shibi arrived home the next day, and they were there for another six hours before the medics came to a conclusion. Shiko was allergic to a barely known substance- so unknown, in fact, that it didn't have a name yet. That fact set fear into Shino's heart- how could he protect Shiko from something they didn't even know anything about? Apparently reading this thought on their faces, the medic nin quickly covered his mistake, assuring them that there was a diet known to avoid the substance, as a single Akimichi -Shigure- had had a similar allergy.

"I don't think he had it as severely, however." Jyugo Makamiya commented. "So you may have to keep an eye on her to start with, just in case she's sensitive to something Shigure wasn't."

Shino decided he'd keep an eye on her forever.

* * *

Shibi can't believe he was watching this. His daughter was eyeing the Akimichi in front of her, and he could feel the kikaichu buzzing inside her suspiciously. The fact that his six month old daughter was, in fact, suspicious of anyone at her age was a curiosity in and of itself. Shigure, however, appeared to be taking it all in stride, and scooped her out of Keiko's arm with the gentle ease of another parent.

"Hello, Shiko, I hear you and I share some allergies." The infant blew a bubble at him, something Shibi had been told was her way of affirming a statement -how his son decided to interpret a child's behaviour was something he didn't care to understand- and Keiko nodded, wringing her now-empty hand fretfully.

"Yes, we noticed as soon as we put her on solid food." Though his eyes remained on Shiko, Shigure raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "The medic's directed us to you, I hope it's not trouble, I-"

"It's fine," Laughter boomed from the large man, startling Shiko. "No trouble at all! I am surprised you noticed right away, however." His voice quietened a little. "It took my own parent's a couple of weeks to notice." Coming from an Akimichi that was incredibly meaningful. It implied Shiko was not only more sensitive than Shigure, but to an extreme degree. This was an extremely troubling thought.

As if sensing this, Shiko looked over at him, brown eyes wide and, perhaps Shibi was projecting, apologetic. As if she was aware of the trouble she was causing, and the future efforts that would go towards her diet and health.

He was being ridiculous.

* * *

(but perhaps he wasn't)


	2. The Glitch Awakens

I don't remember much, to tell you the truth. I don't remember how I died, how hold I was when I died, or how long I was dead before I wasn't. One moment I was sitting in my room, eating ice cream straight out of the tub, then the next I was surrounded by bright lights, shadowy figures and loud, loud noises. It was like having a seizure, but not quite, because your memory isn't patchy, and you know exactly where you are, what's happening and that you don't have full control over your body.

So, really, it's nothing like having a seizure at all.

I think I fell asleep at some point during my terror, because I remember it suddenly going from loud, bright and scary to quiet, dark and peaceful. There was someone else in the room with me; I could hear their breathing, and at one point they shifted over in their half of the room, rolling about in their presumed sleep. I was afraid, but not terrified as I was before, and I reached out only to have my (small, chubby, weird) fist bump softly into a clear (plastic?) wall. I was in a tub of some sort, and I was in an unknown room, with unknown people, but at least I was (partially?) protected against them.

Then a dark patch appeared over me and I opened my mouth to scream again, but they made a shooshing noise and picked me up and why was I so small? Perhaps you'd think me a fool for not quite getting it yet, but it took a good five minutes of being patted by a tall, dark figure to understand I was a baby again.

For some reason.

Still, it explained some things. Babies eye's didn't develop for a good couple of months (or was it years?), which was why I couldn't see anything or anyone clearly. Limb control also took a while to develop, so my flailing-but-still-knowing-what-was-going-on was also explained. The dark figure holding me, and the figure on the bed must be my parents (oh, I wonder if I had any siblings! Perhaps not yet, but I loved being an older sister- well, in my old life I loved being an older sister; naturing and lecturing were both huge parts of my per- previous personality).

This new information opened more questions than it answered, though. Why was I a baby? Why was I reborn? Why was I reborn with most of my memories intact? Why only most? Had I died in my old life? How? Why? Why can't I remember? What happened to my family, my siblings? Did I even finish schooling? Why is this happening? Why me? Are there other's like me? What if my (previous) siblings had been reborn too, but I hadn't know?

It was confusing, and overwhelming, and for some reason all of my muscles hurt all at once. I fell asleep again.

* * *

Being an infant was confusing, distracting. There were random intervals of awareness and sleep, and often I was wrapped up in fabric, being carried around somewhere. When I pictured it in my mind's eye, when I was awake for long enough, I imagined they were lugging me around in one of those baby carriers people strapped to their chests and backs.

This time, this travel, gave me a chance to muse over my existence, however. Specifically, over how well I was dealing with the whole thing. Before now I wouldn't have expected that I would have taken to death so easily, but then I'd never really been scared by my passing to begin with. With my faith being completely undetermined or bound by any known limits or religion, I'd never known what to expect when I died, but then I hadn't really cared what happened to me. What mattered to me then was only the love and joy I made the others around me feel. Perhaps it was weak-minded and overly dependent of me, to rely on others existence for my own so much, but their joy gave me joy, and when I loved them, I got love and happiness in return.

One quote that appeared over and over again in my life was 'do not set yourself on fire in order to keep others warm' and yet, I'd never quite agreed with the saying.

After all, how could I stop myself when the smiles on their faces set my emotions alight?

My wrists began to itch, drawing me from my thoughts, but slowly I began to drift back into sleep. Tired, so tired.

* * *

After a good number of sleeps, I found myself being carried through a long really bright, really noisy area. While I couldn't see properly, based on the amount of turns and voices during the trip, I could only assume I was being carried home. Why we didn't take a car or taxi home I couldn't image, aside from the possibility we lived close to the hospital (but then, an hour walk wasn't really close in any way you looked at it). When we got home, I was lowered, and suddenly there was a smaller figure standing over me. Slowly they caressed my face, and the low gentle murmurs coming from my new parents meant that this must be my new sibling!

Excitement filled me, and I squinted at the black splodge eagerly, attempting to discern their features and face and I just- I loved them already. Perhaps it wasn't ideal, as they were older than me, but I was older mentally so I was kind of their older sibling still, if I twisted the definition slightly.

I had a sibling. I had a sibling again, I wouldn't be alone, I couldn't be-

 _Feet flew into the teenager, and blood welled up in their mouth._

 _"Whiny brat."_

 _"You're so annoying."_

 _"What a bitch."_

 _Two feet for each comment, and she couldn't help but recall their histories, the girl with parents who could only hate, the girl her mother didn't even love, and the foreigner sent away from a war raging country. They couldn't help it, hate was the only thing they knew, she had to-_

My mother was attempting to calm me down, I was wailing, and I could hear concerned noises coming from my new sibling. The noises stopped, and I stared at the bright environment around me, confused. What was that? What…

What had I been thinking about?

Brushing aside my confusion, I tried to look around, searching for the small blob that was my sibling. Where were they, I wanted to know them, I wanted to know my new family, my new loves.

* * *

The first things my eyes focused on, when they focused, was the headband resting on my father head.

Again, answers and questions flew threw my head, the sudden surge of curiosity flooding my mind. I was in the Naruto world. Why was I in the Naruto world? Why was I not in my old world? What's happened to my old world? Is there an connection between the two worlds- did my world evolve into this world? Did what I know of this world still ring true, even without me doing anything? If so, how could I or would I change it? More and more questions swirled around me, so much so that I didn't even notice when my mother picked me up and put me in the hands of my sibling.

And then I saw his face.

He was amazing, adorable, and I loved him at first sight. Dark brown eyes, pink dusted cheeks, and silky black hair- my baby brother was the cutest thing I'd even laid either of my eyes on. He looked down at me, and we both stared at each other in adoration. Reaching up, I mimicked his first contact with me, and stroked his face as gently as my uncontrollable limbs could. I loved him, and I would protect him with my life, as much as I could. It didn't matter that I was in a dog-eat-dog world, with supernatural forces and murderous ninja gangs- my family was my life; it had been in my previous life, and there was no doubt that it would be now.

"Can she see me?" His voice was high pitched, with a hint of gravel that would probably develop later on in his life. Smiling down at us, our mother nodded.

"Yes, Shino, she can."

Shino. Shino Aburame- I had been born to the Aburame family. I had been born to the Aburame family, and baby Shino was absolutely adorable. Adorable, and smiling down at me, and speaking to me, at the tongue I'd picked up over month of hearing it.

"Can you see me, Shiko?" I understood, but I couldn't speak, and I smiled and reached up, grabbing his face before blowing one, deliberate spit-bubble. Until I could speak properly, I'd find another way to communicate. Siblings understand miraculous things when it comes to one another, and I'm sure he'd understand, he'd get it.

Glee spread over his face, and he grin up at our mother.

"She can see me!" I cherished the glee as it was, aware of the reserved appearance that would soon emerged. Pure emotions were a beautiful thing, and I loved to see the joy in someone else's features. It was a wonderful feeling, and I was just so happy that someone else could experience them.

I wanted to make sure he would never stop feeling those emotions.

* * *

Discovering I had bugs in my body brought on a whole different truckload of emotions, though. Realising I was an Aburame was one thing, noticing the holes in my wrists was another. I was halfway through panicking -and, as a result, panicking the hive within me- when my brother walked into the nursery.

"What's wrong, Shi?" Eyes wide, I held my wrists out to him, the kikaichu swarming over my hands.

"Those are your friends, Shi." He held out his own wrists, and several kikaichu appeared. They were a different colour from mine, and his calmness seeped into me alongside curiosity. I babbled, then stopped, and then pointed at his bugs then mine and tilted my head. He shrugged.

"Dunno." I nodded, pouting slightly.

That night, when sitting with my father, I held out my wrists, and attempted to communicate my curiosity to him. He just stared at me, confusion evident on his features despite his glasses. Frowning, I grumbled, and then called out my garbled attempt of "Shino". Whether it worked or he was already walking into the room I don't know, but he headed over anyway.

Again, I held out my wrists and babbled slightly, and Shino nodded, understanding.

"Da, why're they different colours, Shi and mine's?"

"They're different species." Father started, and so began our first lesson on kikaichu.

Apparently each Aburame host's a complete different species of kikaichu, depending on the species that chooses the host after birth. Apparently the child is presented to several groups before a species selects the host for a nest- I don't remember this happening, but without my eyes, and with the common communication choice of the Aburame -grunts and hums- it could well have occurred on one of my trips with our parents while I couldn't see a thing (or stay awake at all). Shino had been selected by the black coloured type of kikaichu, while my dark green species was slightly more rare. Shino's specialised in absorbing chakra and sharing it with their host for longer battles, while mine specialised in absorbing chakra and using it to increase their size for attack uses.

Father was reluctant to provide us with more data, more information, but I have many years in front of me (or, at least, I think I do) and more time to figure out what my new body consists of.

* * *

Mother had decided to start feeding me solid food. On the plus side I could stop sucking on her boobs- I didn't like them in the previous life, and I didn't like them in this one. On the negative side, I'd had a major allergy to gluten in my previous life, and my mistrust towards all foods until proven otherwise is something that hasn't quite worn off yet. I turned away from the airplane-like spoon, still unsure as to whether allergies carried through past death. Logically it was a different body which functioned differently in general. On the other hand, rebirth existed and allergies probably still exist, so my chances of actually having some sort of allergy despite my reincarnation (based on my luck in my previous life) where extremely high.

Half an hour later, I was proven right. Whether it was gluten or something else, I was vomiting and bloating, and though I was wearing a diaper still, the familiar burn of bile on my backside was there. There was distress in my mothers eyes, and I was so sorry, I was so wrong, I shouldn't be so much trouble, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be a bother.

When I emerged from my distressing circled, I was looking up at Shino again, and he was staring worryingly down at me, and it was set off all over again. But, in contrast to the previous episode, Shino interrupted my thoughts, laying a hand on my cheek.

"I'll take care of you." He whispered to me, oblivious to the stares and conversation of the adults over his head. My heart welled, and I just- I stared at him, sad and hopeless. I was meant to take care of him, I love him so much, why couldn't I take care of him instead?

"It's okay." A kiss on my forehead, and I felt like crying.

* * *

Apparently my allergy was rare in the Naruto world, and we went over to meet someone who'd had the allergy before (according to my parents, the only one, but I suspected it was the only recorded one). The chubby person in front of me didn't look like they'd been on a gluten free diet. Without the climbing knowledge that'd been available in my previous world, and the technology that had been present to separate the gluten from the grains, there couldn't be that much available for consumption and yet-

When his eyebrows raised at the immediacy of my intolerance, I relaxed a bit, comprehension seeping through. Not everyone had been as sensitive as me, and it appeared this guy was no different. Still, his experience would make my path less difficult, and I couldn't really complain while the bile was still burning into my backside.

* * *

And so ended my first year as Shiko Aburame, my parents learning the ways of the gluten free life, and I learning how to be a child again.


	3. A Flicker And A Twitch

Mother worked at a restaurant. I found this out about three months after my first birthday, when mother finished up her maternity leave. To be honest, I was surprised this world even had maternity leave, but then the civilian world of Naruto was never well explored. Actually, the health side of the world wasn't explained much either, outside of brief glimpses at Sakura's training under Tsunade. Before mother left maternity leave I hadn't given it much thought- it was not an immediate effect on my family or myself, so why should I have even considered it?

But now, with a civilian mother and a shinobi father (and brother in the not-so-close future), I should probably look into the systems, check the limitations and freebies which applied to us.

Applied to me.

I was applicable to-

Sitting there, in the workers room all alone with only Shino by my side, I began to panic.

A whole year; a whole year and three months, and I only just realised the issue, the problem with my existence. I shouldn't have one- I shouldn't have been born, I shouldn't have been created. The timeline, the characters I'd learned and the story which I'd loved- they were no more, simply because I was born! Shivers ran down my spine, shook my hands, and I trembled where I sat. Sure, I hadn't done anything intentional yet, but even my pure existence- Shino would be more family based than he was in the tale, and knowing me could change or interrupt thought patterns that would've occurred and lead to-

"Shiko."

Okay, maybe I was over reacting. But then, it was entirely possible that I wasn't, too. It was just, it was impossible to tell.

"Shi." Two hands covered my eyes, and my hands twitched. Sandpapery bark and minty leaves drifted around my nose. Shino.

"Shiko." I folded forward into him, and we clung to each other, his hands shifting to the back of my neck.

That was right. The future didn't matter- I had to stop looking there. I had to live in the moment, live now. The joy of the moment; I had to make other's feel it. My hands tightened on Shino's shirt. They had to know the joy of family.

* * *

Maternity leave existed for both ninja and civilians alike, I later discovered. At the very least, within Konoha it did. Civilian maternity leave lasted until the child was a year old. My mother had possessed an extended leave because she was, technically, still on leave with Shino when she gave birth to me. Children within shinobi villages are view in a way very different to my previous world, especially during and directly after a time of war. After all those who are sent out to war have to be able to look after themselves, and that's just the reality of it all. Civilian jobs are, unfortunately, viewed in a very negative light, though. Hence, while civilians get until they're child is a year old for maternity leave, kunoichi receive all the time until their children become qualified genin, which is an average of ten years.

It was fairly backwards, the way this world viewed civilians, honestly. Even in the way they were portrayed in the show, the civilians were viewed as 'background noise'- unnecessary and generally unwanted. It's remarkably easy for one to forget that without civilians ninja wouldn't have missions, trade, or downtime restaurants, shops and bars. Regardless, this backwards view heavily influenced the service civilians got when it came to many things, such as governmental influence, medical aid and retail service.

But the reality was, military force was everything- both in this world, and in my last. Those with power got better deals, and those who didn't had to settle with what they had. It was unfair. It was unjust.

It was cruel.

* * *

My legs were getting strong enough to walk on, and it was a usual sight to see me waddling from room to room with Shino holding onto my hands. He'd been walking by my fifth month as Shiko, but had felt no need to explore- both inside and out. Me though? I wanted to see everything, memorise every inch of my new dwellings.

Despite my appalling environmental awareness (and consequential clumsiness), I had always adored houses and their layouts. Perhaps it was the creative spirit I got from my mother playing up, but I loved to see all the furnishings laid out, and all the possibilities for all the blank rooms. Once I spent around twelve hours straight just designing houses on my old and outdated Sims game. All the possibilities, all the life that could come from the rooms, I thrived on it.

Hence, I wanted to get to know here. And once I was done with the inside of the house, I would get to know the clan grounds. And once we were done there, I was going to memorise the layout of all of Konoha (somehow).

"You're learning to walk." I blinked up at Shino, and he stared down at me. "Don't get ahead of yourself." I looked away, sheepishly.

There were few things that got me worked up- whether that energy came from excitement or anger- but art was definitely one of them. Puzzles and family were the only other two that came to mind. I suppose, in that way, I had always been a simple person to understand. Really it was no surprise that my new brother had come to know me so well, having spent a full year and a bit with only each other (and occasionally our parents) for company. People had always been able to guess what I was thinking and what I was going to do. Shino was no different.

But then…

I looked up, and smiled happily. I could see his eyes squint in return under his (newly obtained and absolutely adorable) sunglasses.

Perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing.

* * *

Aburame had surprisingly high stamina and extremely high chakra reserves. I'd found this out after father started teaching us to stick the autumn leaves to our forehead. It took me a while before I could do this without shredding the leaf into pieces, but once I'd figured out the trick (it was that feeling, that trickle down the back of your throat, that tightness in your stomach, direct that rage and passion into the front of your head and bam!- concentrated chakra) I could hold it there for a good minute before I got exhausted. Perhaps not as good as your average genin, but as a year old kid? Absolutely amazing.

When you thought about it, though, it really wasn't that shocking. Aburame had to constantly supply chakra for the creatures nesting within, along with being able to pull of chakra enhancement and jutsu of various types. Altogether it was an incredible amount of energy exertion, and required a deadly long stamina. It was almost a shame that we specialised in tracking rather than combat- in conjunction with the general fear of bugs shared among the population, we could have been a deadly force.

But no one could track quite as effortlessly as an Aburame and their kikaichu could, and so we were pushed to the tracking teams.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to object. We died less, you know? The family were still together, safe. It made me selfishly happy.

* * *

When I was one year, five months and twenty two days old mother stopped taking us to work with her. Apparently two was the age children were considered capable of taking care of themselves and their younger siblings in Konoha. Ridiculous in my opinion, but then I suppose there would be many points in my life where I'd feel everyone was wonky in their perspective. Waddling through the clan grounds with Shino, though, I couldn't bring myself to regret this opportunity. With my hand in his, I gazed around the outside world with blatant fascination.

Previously I'd always had difficulty going outside, having a large fear of bugs and open water. Living as a nest for kikaichu, however, had slightly reworked that first fear of mine. Now I could wander barefoot over the grass and gaze out at the architectural beauty of the clan without fear whispering at the corner of my-

Shino let go of my hand.

 _Jaws waggled, and I nibbled at the creme brulee, swinging my feet softly as a distraction, entertainment, safety net. The get-togethers with our brother school were both a relief from and a great source of pain for me. The girls were entered, distracted, focused, flirting. The teachers were busy as always, distracted, and I was lost in the crowd. No attention was directed to me._

 _Relief._

 _And when it was?_

 _Pain._

 _"What do you think?"_

 _No one answered. He must be asking me. I didn't look at him. A foot connected forcefully with my knee cap, and I looked away._

 _"Don't mind her, I don't think she even speaks English. She's an idiot, anyway."_

 _Attention. Too much attention._

 _Look away._

 _Please._

 _I didn't want to-_

"Shi!" There were tears in my eyes for some reason? I didn't understand. I looked into my brothers dark, dark glasses. His voice had grounded me, pulled me back, from… from what? What had I? Why was I crying?

"Did you get the, um…" What had he been getting again? Disbelief filtered into my brother's expression, and he looked away from me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" Had I prevented him getting the bug? I was such a bother, I don't even remember why I called him back to me. God, I was an idiot. "I'm sorry, Shi."

Silently he pulled me close, and we sat there for the next hour, identifying every insect which crawled past us.

* * *

Apparently I was having black outs. I couldn't recall having them, but Shino told me this wasn't the first time I'd been unresponsive. I never said anything during these episodes, never twitched or spasmed, but apparently I just sat there, staring out into space like nothing mattered at all.

He didn't say it, but it scared Shino. I could see it in his arms, the way he held them out, around me, but hesitant, holding back slightly. Protective, but unsure if the danger was from outside or from within. Quietly I leant in, attempting to consolidate him, thank him.

"I don't know." Quietly, my words bubbled slightly, sounding chubby and young on my tongue. "I don't remember what happens."

"I let go." Shino grasps my hand, holding tight. A couple of his kikaichu scrambled over, and I sent a couple of my own back in return. We'd slowly been mingling our nests, crossing them over so that it was always easy to identify and locate one another. It had to be slow, though, because cross breeding was highly frowned upon as a casual pastime in the clan. With the lifespan of the kikaichu, it was far to easy to mess about and extinguish a subspecies completely. It was why each Aburame could only host one subspecies ever, and all other subspecies had to be carried in glasses and tubes. It was too dangerous, too easy to turn out advantage into a disadvantage.

"I won't do it-"

"You have to!" He had to. Oh god, he was going to have to leave me behind. I couldn't hold him back, fate needed to play out, my big brother would have to take his place in the plot. He had to go to the academy by himself, he had to graduate by himself, he had to be in a team with Kiba and Hinata, he had to be in the Chunin exam disaster, he had to… he had to abandon me.

"I won't." Stubborn ass. I stared up at his chubby, immature two year old face, determination burning in his core. Though logically I knew it was impossible, I sometimes felt the determination of an older sibling could easily out do the determination of a knucklehead like Naruto, someone who just didn't know that they couldn't. His refusal reminded me of lessons with my own little brother, of my refusal to move on without my sibling.

There was no way to dissuade him.

I looked at my hands, soft and chubby in his.

Then I'd have to move up too. If I couldn't let him go down a level, and I couldn't make him leave me, then I would simply have to move up a level. I began calculating furiously. There were only five months between us; depending on the cut off date, I could probably make it into Shino's year. If I could get father to teach us more, if I practice daily…

It wasn't likely. But it wasn't impossible.

I looked at Shino, at his determination, at his stubbornness and his refusal to leave a friend behind. His love, his will, his completely Konoha way of thinking, even as a two-year old.

Yeah, I could do this.

* * *

 **If I can ask, what do you guys think of my writing style in this story? Is it too disjointed, with too many stops and starts, and is it on track enough for you, or do you want more side-sections, more exploration and happiness sections?  
**

 **Thank you for reading!**


End file.
